The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-03
81 KNOW | AM RIGHT"
Mr.. Powderly's Attack on the Liquor Traf
fic--Ie Retracts Nothing.

PHILADELPHIA, July 2-In the Journal of
United Labor, issued to-day. over his own sigma
ture. Master Workman Powderly, in speaking of
the liquor traffic says:
"Amoug the letters that came to me to-day I
find one that takes me to task for my words on
the temperance question, spoken some ten or
twelve days ago at Boston. My friend makes
the candid admission, in starting out, that in the
main am right, that even the rum-selier will
not deny the justice of my position. Having
said much. he should have stopped. Even
then he told me nothing new. / know that am
right l know that in refusing to even touch a
drop of strong drink was and am right; in re-
fusing to treat another to that which don't be-
leve to be good for myself to drink, know am
right: in refusing to associate with men who get
drunk, know / am right; in not allowing rum
seller to gain admittance into the order of the
knights of Labor know am right In advising
our assemblies not to rent halls Tor meeting
rooms over drinking places, / know am right.
have done this from the day my voice was first
heard in the council halls of our order. My posi-
tion on the question of temperance is right. L
am determined to maintain and will not alter it
one jot or title. If in the main am right. why
should alter my coursel Ten years ago was
hissed because advised men to let strong drink
alone. They threatened to rotten egs me.
have continued to advise men to be temperate.
and though / have no experience that would
qualify me to render opinion on the efficacy OF
a rotten-egg an ally of the rum-drinker. yet
would prefer to have my exterior decorated from
summit to base with the rankest kind OF rotten
eggs rather than allow one drop of liquid villainy
Illuminated by the blossom that follows the
planting of the seeds of hatred. envy, malice
and damnation, all of which represented in
a solitary glass of GIN
Mr. Powderly also says: ''The total sum paid
into the treasures of the labor societies from
their organization to date will not exceed S., ,000,-
600. The knights of Labor is the largest and
most influential of them all, and though SO much
has been said concerning the vast amount OF
money that has been collected from the mem
bers yet the total sum levied and collected for
all purposes, per capita tax, Journal, assistance
fund. supplies, assessment. insurance and CO.
operation up to the present time, will not exceed
$500. 900. The total sum collected for the first
nine years of the existence of the General As
sembly but $780, 725. a. In nine years less
than 5000, 000 were collected 10 uplft humanity
to higher plane and to bring the workers TO a
realizing sense of their actual condition in life
1t took less than 5000, 600 to teach the civilized
world that workIngmen could build up an or
ganization that could shed such light on the
doings of landlords. bond lords, monopolists and
other tresspassers the domain of popular
rights. that they were forced to halt Tor time
and stand up to explain Less than 5000 00o
mot dollar unaccounted for). and on the stat
ute books of the Nation you will find the impress
OF the workman's hand"